What's in a name?
by TheDarkLord'sMistress
Summary: AU -With a heavy sigh, he lifted the screeching and fidgetting toddler out of his cot.- What if Voldemort hadn't killed Harry and instead decided to have him raised to serve the Dark side?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Not mine, obivously.

"Avada Kedavra."

Two simple words and Lily Potter's lifeless body slumped to the ground.

Voldemort stepped over her corpse and to the baby's crib.

The child gazed up at him through emerald eyes.

The same eyes that had stared at him in horro seconds before, tearfilled, begging him for mercy.

_Not Harry, please not Harry!_

He shook his head to banish the echo of her words. The movement made his hood drop, exposing his disfigured face.

The toddler started wailing at the sight, drawing Voldemort's attention back to him.

"Shut up, brat,"he snarled. The words left his mouth almost automatically, the accustomed reaction to a crying child.

The kid's brawling just increased, of course. The infants at the orphanage never did stop, either. Hell, _he_ never stopped himself...

The Dark Lord tried to clear his thoughts by shaking his head vigorously once more. Directing his wand at Harry, he took a deep breath.

What in Merlin's name was wrong with him?

Kill the boy and leave, it was so simple.

Why couldn't he bring himself to do it?

"Me wants mummy,"the child sobbed."Wants daddy!"

Suddenly, realization hit Voldemort. He saw himself in the boy.

All the years he had hope for his father to come for him. Or an aunt. A distant relative maybe- someone, _anyone- _to just take him away from that rotten hellhole.

With a heavy sigh, he lifted the screeching and fidgetting toddler out of his cot.

Minutes later, the Potters' house burst into flame.

_______________________________________________ Author's Note: I know this is rather short, following chapters will be longer 


	2. Chapter 2

Voldemort apperated straight to the headquarter's dining room. Bellatrix sat at the table, obviously awaiting his return. He should have expected that.

The woman jumped to her feet and walked over to the Dark Lord the moment she saw him."Master, you're back!"

Her radiant smile turned into a frown as she noticed the wailing bundle in his arms."What's _that_?"

"The Potter boy,"Voldemort replied simply, readjusting the child in his arms. The brat was squirming so badly it was hard not to drop him...

A look of utter confusion crossed Bella's face at his response.

"But weren't going to kill him? What about the prophecy?"asked she. The Dark Lord just rolled his eyes."Prophecies aren't necassarily true, Bella."

She just looked more confused at this and he knew very well why. Over the passed few months it had been she who had tried to stop him from 'letting some sodding tea leaves boss him around', as she had so aptly put it. And now _he _told_ her _itwas all nonsense?

Feeling the sudden, inexplicable urge to justify his actions, he added"Besides, if this child really is so strong, wouldn't it make more sense to have him on our side?"

Bellatrix just shrugged, taking the crying toddler from Voldemort's arms; subconsciously drawing small circels on his back."Whatever you say, my lord."

The boy's sobs stopped immediately and he snuzzled his face into the crook of Bella's neck.

The Dark Lord stared at Bellatrix in suprise."How did you do that?"

His servant seemed just as astounded as he was."I have no idea..."

He regarded her thoughtfully for a few moments and eventually nodded to himself."You're going to raise him."

"I what now?"asked the woman, hoping against hope she had misheard. Lord Voldemort smirked slightly."Raise him, Bella. He's going to be your son from now on."

"B-but master,"she spluttered out."Noone will believe that, will they? I've never been seen pregnant or with a baby!"

"Don't argue with me,"Voldemort hissed, his voice dangerously low."You do as I say and I couldn't care less whether you like it or not! Apart from that, you're hardly ever seen in public, noone will know if you had a kid."

Bellatrix sighed in defeat while stroking the child's black hair. She always obeyed her lord, even if his request was this ridiculous."But I won't have to call him Harry, will I? It's such a horrid name..."

Voldemort just shrugged."Change it if you must. What were you thinking of?"

Not that he really cared...

"I don't know."Bellatrix hesitated."Phineas maybe. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think? Phineas Rodolphus Lestrange."

She craddled the boy closer to her chest."Do you like that? Phineas?"

The child giggled and clapped his tiny hands, making the woman smile despite herself."Phineas it is then!"

She then looked back at her master, waiting for further instructions. Voldemort simply handed the bag he was holding to Bellatrix."That's some of his stuff. And now go, Bella."

She did as she was told, cooing to the boy as she left."Let's go meet your new daddy, shall we, sweetie?"

Voldemort smirked as he watched her leave. She might not be the mothering type but under her care the kid atleast wouldn't get any stupid ideas stuck in his head.


	3. Chapter 3

I'm sorry this took me so long, but somehow my muse had left me...

But I'll updated much more frequently from now on- it's my New Year's resolution.

So, a Happy New Year to you all=)

_________________

"Don't you dare puke on me,"Bellatrix said sharply to the boy who had turned rather green from apparating. To be on the safe side she held him facing away from her as she went looking for her husband.

He was in the living room; waiting for her like she had waited for their master.

An expression of utter confusion crossed his face upon seeing the child."What's that?"

"It's a child,"replied Bellatrix mockingly."I thought that'd be obvious."

"I can see _that_,"Rodolphus snapped."What is it _doing here_?"

"Oh, that. He'll live here from now on,"answered the woman as though it were perfectly normal to bring home some child to live with them. Rodolphus gaped at her dumbstruck; waiting for her to give him a reason for the strange occurrence. As it got obvious that she wasn't going to offer one, he inquired further."And why, may I ask?"

"Well, children usually live with their parents, don't they?"said Bellatirx, not providing a proper explanation on purpose in order to get him to be as pissed off as she was- as they say, misery loves company. But somehow it failed to annoy her husband.

"Parents?"he echoed, his expression softening.

Oh, right. He actually _liked _children.

Bellatrix herself found the little buggers rather detestable and wouldn't want one if her life depended on it.

But now that her master had given her this task she was determined to excell at it- which meant she had to be the perfcet mother for the child.

At the thought she grimaced- going unnoticed by both the child and Rodolphus.

The toddler was smiling up at the man who had raised a hand and was gently stroking the boy's chubby cheek.

"Whose child is this, anyway?"asked Rodolphus. Bellatrix groaned inwardly. She had hoped that he would be to caught up in finally having a son- even if he was only adopted- to care about the child's actual descent.

The woman tried to sound relaxed as she answered but didn't manage to keep a slight distaste out of her voice."He's the Potter boy."

"He's a halfblood?"bellowed Rodolphus, pulling away his hand as though he had been burned. This immediately set the boy of crying again and Bellatrix gave him an annoyed look."Would you calm down? You're scaring him."

"You bring me the child of a bloodtraitor and a mudblood and ask me to _calm down_?"he hissed but actually lowered his voice. Banning even the slightest hint of repulsion from her expression, Bella argued further."We have halfbloods among our ranks. And the boy's father actually has a respectable blood line. Apart from that, being a blood traitor isn't inheritable."

Rodlophus smirked down at her coldly."One would beg to differ, seein how both your cousin _and _sister turned out."

She slapped him hard across the face and stormed from the room, literally shaking with rage.

She had half a mind to curse him for his insolent behaviour but the boy's crying was already giving her a headache and it surely wouldn't make him stop if the only person he seemed to trust caused someone to writhe in agonizing pain.

Rodolphus caught up with her before she even reached the stairs."Bella, I'm sorry. I was really out of line to say such a thing."

"Out of line doesn't even _begin_ to describe it,"snarled Bellatrix, not caring that her reaction was equally inept."Insinuating that the Blacks might gave bad blood... It's outrageous to even _think _ such a thing, let alone _saying _it!"

Harry's bawling only increased in volume at their raised voices. The woman sighed in exasperation."Look, just forget it. I didn't ask for this, you know. But if you must continue to whine about this, go and complain to _Him_, why don't you?"

With that she walked away, but this time Rodolphus did not follow her.


	4. Chapter 4

_Yes, I am still alive. Yes, I'm a bit of a horrible, horrible person._

_My muse was all 'psh, let's ignore this story' and then all 'oh, wait, let's continue' and then all 'nah, just kidding'. She's mean like that._

_I won't say I'll update more again, we all saw how that turned out. But I WILL post a progress-overview and some more details about what to expect from this story on my profile once I find the time, as I think there might be some misconceptions as to what the general idea is._

_Rant over._

_New chapter._

_Sorry again, my darlings._

_-:-:-:-:-:-_

By the time Bellatrix reached the nursery, the toddler had calmed down somewhat and was merely giving little sniffles every now and then.

As she pushed open the door, she was glad for the first time that her mother-in-law was disgustingly sentimental, hence never having cleaned out the nursery.

The elves had kept the room not only clean but in perfect condition for a child; the cot was practically waiting for a child to sleep in it.

She couldn't surpress a smirk.

Even the _servants _were hoping desperately for a Lestrange heir...

Closing the door behind them, Bellatrix pulled a sleepsuit from the bag the Dark Lord had given her and changed the child into it.

"No!"Harry wailed as she tried to put him into the cot, clinging to her as though his life depended on it."No down!"

"I'm assuming you mean 'Don't put me down', titch,"Bellatrix said, raising an eyebrow at him."That's certainly out of the question. You're sleeping. Now."

He whimpered in despair, clutching her robes frantically."No, pwease, no."

Bellatrix had no idea why he would be so horrified at the idea of having to go to sleep and she found herself having some qualms at the idea of just prying his little fingers of her robes and sticking him into the cot.

_Maybe_, she mused, _his objections had nothing to do with sleep._

The evening's events were far from ordinary, afterall.

Hadn't Cissa said something about Draco being unable to sleep the first time he had experienced a thunderstorm?

Perhaps this child was having similar troubles with his new surroundings?

"How about I stay with you?"she said in the gentlest tone she could manage."Would you go to sleep with me here?"

The boy's grip on her slackened and he nodded.

He still seemed slightly anxious but did not resist as she lowered him into the cot.

She conjoured up a chair and sat down next to the baby bed; the toddler's face relaxing as he saw the she really did stay with him."Henwy?"

He earned himself a confused look from Bellatrix."Henry? Who's Henry?"

"Henwy bear,"the boy answered promptly and Bellatrix dug through the bag until she found the fluffy toy in question.

She giggled to herself, half at the thought of her Master actually thinking to pack such a thing, half at the boy's admittedly cute squeal of delight at seeing the teddy.

"Gimme!"he demanded and Bellatrix tutted, dangling the bear just out of his reach."Now, now, that's no way to talk to your elders! Say 'please' if you want something from me."

Harry pouted but quickly realised that this didn't make the woman more likely to hand over Henry, so instead he obeyed her order."Pwease gimme Henwy."

"See? That wasn't so hard, was that?"said Bellatrix, giving him his teddy. He cuddled it happily, nuzzling his face into the bear's fur.

Bellatrix couldn't help but smile at his charming reaction."Will you sleep now?"

He shook his head vigorously."No wanna!"

"It's 'I don't want to'. Really, Phineas, I don't see why you children all are set on talking before you can even do it properly,"sighed Bellatrix, getting a confused look from the kid.

He had no idea what she was trying to tell him, so he just picked out a part he remembered."What Phin?"

"Oh, that's you,"the woman replied cheerily."Phineas Rodolphus Lestrange, that's your name."

Again, the child shook his head, pointing at himself.

"Hawwy,"he declared, making Bellatrix frown."Well, it used to be, now it's Phineas."

How in Merlin's name was she supposed to explained this to a toddler?

Then again, she didn't have to...

"Okay, just say it,"she told him with what she hoped was a motherly smile."Phineas Rodolphus Lestrange."

"Phinphus Ange,"the child said, eyebrows knitted together in concentration.

Laughing softly at his attempt, Bellatrix realised that he probably would do better with smaller pieces.

"That wasn't _too_ bad,"she said encouragingly."Phin will be fine for now, but the rest should atleast sound something like a name, you know. It's Rodolphus."

"Wophus,"he tried again.

Bellatrix let him repeat it a few more times, eventually moving on to their surname.

After several more minutes, the boy produced a satisfying enough result.

"Phin Dolphus Stwange,"he said, earning a smile and a tousel from the Death Eater.

This kid din't annoy her as much as children usually did and it was definitely due to his obedient behaviour.

She vaguely wondered whether he always did as he was told or if it was just with her.

Well, that was easy enough to find out...

Gently stroking the child's hair to keep him calm, Bellatrix prodded into his mind carefully.

As he didn't show any sign at all of being aware of her presence, she riffled through his most recent memories.

They were alight with a mixture of confusion, fear and curious excitement.

The Dark Lord had terrified him to no end and Rodolphus's outburst had scared him almost as much.

Bellatrix had taken him away from both men, which in his childish logic meant she was his protector, good and kind.

And now he wanted her to be happy with him so she would keep protecting him.

When she pulled out of his thoughts again, the boy was asleep.

Bellatrix left the room with a smile on her face.

This was going to be a piece of cake.


End file.
